After My Husband Betrayed Me, I Married My Father's Best Friend

I'll never forget that day—the day I found out I was pregnant, and my husband pushed me down the stairs to protect my best friend.

— —- —- —-

The pregnancy test shook in my hand.

Positive.

For a second, I just stared at it.

Then I laughed.

Three years of trying.

Three years of doctors, supplements, appointments, and disappointment.

And now...

I was pregnant.

"Ethan is going to lose his mind."

I grabbed my phone immediately.

My thumb hovered over his contact.

Then I stopped.

No.

I wanted to tell him in person.

Maybe over dinner.

Maybe I'd hand him the ultrasound photo and watch him figure it out himself.

The thought made me smile.

A few hours later, I walked into St. Matthew's Hospital for a follow-up appointment.

The doctor wanted to double-check everything because of my previous fertility issues.

A nurse called my name.

After several tests and another blood draw, the doctor finally smiled.

"Everything looks good, Mrs. Parker. Eight weeks. Healthy so far."

I pressed a hand against my stomach.

The doctor handed me a folder.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

I left the office with a stupid grin on my face.

Then I heard Ethan's voice.

My smile froze.

He was supposed to be in Chicago.

A business trip.

He wasn't supposed to be anywhere near New York today.

I turned the corner.

And saw him.

For one beautiful second, I thought maybe he had come to surprise me.

Maybe he had canceled his flight.

Maybe fate was giving us this perfect moment.

Then I saw the woman standing beside him.

Chloe Bennett.

My best friend.

My heart skipped.

Not in a good way.

Chloe was leaning against Ethan's arm.

Not casually.

Comfortably.

Like she belonged there.

I stopped walking.

My brain struggled to process what I was seeing.

Ethan looked up.

His eyes widened.

"Sophia?"

The smile disappeared from his face.

Chloe immediately stepped away from him.

Too late.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Neither of them answered.

The silence felt wrong.

Then a doctor walked out of an examination room.

He smiled at Ethan.

"Mr. Parker, congratulations. Everything looks great."

I frowned.

The doctor continued.

"The baby's development is right on schedule."

Baby.

The word hit me like a truck.

The doctor handed a folder to Chloe.

"Twenty weeks and perfectly healthy."

Twenty weeks.

I looked at Chloe's stomach.

Suddenly everything made sense.

The oversized sweater.

The recent weight gain.

The constant excuses.

The canceled lunches.

The late-night texts.

My voice came out shaky.

"What baby?"

Nobody spoke.

I stepped closer.

"What baby?"

Chloe's eyes filled with tears.

That only made me angrier.

"What baby, Chloe?"

Ethan rubbed his forehead.

"Sophia..."

My stomach dropped.

The way he said my name.

Like he already knew.

Like this wasn't a misunderstanding.

Like this was real.

"Oh my God."

I laughed.

A short, broken sound.

Chloe started crying.

"I'm sorry."

I stared at her.

Then at Ethan.

Then back at her.

"Tell me you're not